Twitter / jeremyweate

Friday, March 16, 2007

My parents were village hippies. They ran a folk club in the 1970's. My sister Victoria and I didn't see them from Friday till Monday (a little family joke). I was named after a South African singer songwriter, Jeremy Taylor (you can download some of his music at this site). I'm chuffed to have been named after an African protest singer, banned from his country because of his criticism of the apartheid regime, recorded with Miriam Makeba etc. He's coming back to Wheaton Aston this year for the ever more popular festival. Long may he sing.

5
comments:

This is so eerie. I was down in Islington yesterday evening and a vendor of the ‘Big Issue’, outside the Sainsbury’s literary threw a copy at me, exclaiming “Its my last copy, please, please buy it”. Now I last bought a copy of the ‘Big Issue’ 2 years ago. I was a regular avid reader but somewhere along the way, I lost interest or did I lose my generosity towards the homeless?……..

I had just reread my responsibilities during lent, yesterday morning and one of the things mentioned was giving alms.

Note: before the ‘big issue’ vendor, I had been accosted by someone shaking the ‘comic relief’ box at me. Accosted is a tad bit exaggerating.

So I bought the ‘big issue’ (March 12 – 18 No. 735) and run off before the vendor could give me my 50p change! Generosity, generosity!!

On the bus ride home, I flipped through the magazine and there was an article about Bibi and yourself on page 12! Under the headline Nigeria, part 3 of 3.Now there is no getting away from you. I mean, not only in blogsville but also in print.

Did you plant this article in the ‘big issue’? LOL? Where you featured in part 1 and 2?

Got to read about Cassava Republic on line and may I say Kudos to Bibi and yourself for this. Hope to see more writers being acknowledged not only in Nigeria but Africa as a whole.

I notice you read a lot of blogs – but there are nice short stories well written by Boorish Male http://boorishmale.blogspot.com/ -

Another young brilliant young writer is Azuka – in between all the programming he does are brilliant short stories. Check it out http://azuka.zatechcorp.com/

PS – If you have a copy of the ‘big issue’ read the Dear John comment – STICKY SUBJECT

PS - am East African, and Cassava as we know it in (East Africa) is a root or tuber) not a fruit. Well, we live and learn

Dear commentor: I'm glad you have started buying the BI again - it is a good and effective cause. Have you noticed how happy the vendors are when you buy it?

To answer your questions - the journalist who interviewed me is a friend. Its all about getting known outside Nigeria as well as in country. No I wasn't featured in parts 1 and 2 - they were on other subjects.

Will take a look at the two blogs you mention - we are always looking for new talent. The market is not ready for it quite yet, but we want to create more of an exchange between writers from different African countries. At the moment, most Nigerian readers want to read Nigerian stories. I'm sure its more or less the same elsewhere.

Cassava not being a fruit. You've got me worried - did I say that somewhere?

I was watching a programme on OBE TV and a Kenyan writer did mention that he wanted to read books by other African writers but did not know where to find or could not access them. I also came across an article on the web last year that mentioned that Africans were not aware about the writers (especially the new ones from the continent) and supported the things mentioned on your website about marketing, advertising and distribution. Can not remember the article, will try and search for it.

As mentioned am East African and I enjoy authors from all over Africa. Most people in East Africa are aware of Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka - (they are studied in literature.